Kerry: "None of your business!"

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

So, first Kerry tells us that certain world leaders have told him they want Bush defeated, then tells us it is none of our business to know their names?

---

Secretary of State Colin Powell started the debate when he spoke on “Fox News Sunday” and was skeptical of Kerry’s claim.

“I don’t know what foreign leaders Senator Kerry is talking about. It’s an easy charge, an easy assertion to make. But if he feels it is that important an assertion to make, he ought to list some names,” said Powell. “If he can’t list names, then perhaps he should find something else to talk about.”

The theme was raised by Cedric Brown, a participant in a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania. He wondered whether Kerry was meeting with foreign leaders “to help you overthrow the Bush presidency.”

Pressed repeatedly by Brown, Kerry finally declared: “That’s none of your business.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4531796/

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Just goes to show you that if Bush could comminucate, he would drum Kerry by 20 points.

[WalterMitty]

that was a HORRIBLE  performance by kerry.  im starting to think that maybe dean would be a tougher candidate to run against.  

i think kerry is finding out that running against an incumbent president is going to be a little tougher than running against kucinich, sharpton, and mosley-braun.

also, powell said that kerry should point to an istance where he (powell) has been 'marginalized' by the president.  kerry should stop speaking for other people.  he should also realize that powell is ON BUSH"S SIDE, not his.

[??????????]

He's speaking out of his "butt" to say it nicely. WalterMitty what part of N.C. are you in? My wifes people are from Wilson.

[WalterMitty]

i live in the north-central part of the state, near greensboro.

[??????????]

Ok, I know where that's at. Nice area.

[angus]

Whoa!  I hadn't noticed this bit of news.  Thanks for posting it jmfcst.  Not sure how it'll affect him, but as someone who has voted for Kerry in the past I honestly say that I'm very disappointed.  That's locker-room talk, and whether its true or not, if you're running for US President you don't tell how you get together with foreign leaders to affect change here at home.  Especially in this time of heightened anxieties.  He's looking a little more like his former Governor every day.  Watch the polls:  Kerry may have just pissed off one too many undecided voters.

[??????????]

"Someone said they want you out of office but I cant tell you who said it" lol lol I am going to be laughing all the way to the polling place with this. So far the goof ups of Kerry include :

"They are all liars and crooks"

He said that means "The republican attack machine"

"Some foreign leaders have said they want Bush out of office"

When asked who he responds "I'm not going to say"

Yes Democrats, what a good choice for president you've made! See ya in '08 with a Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton ticket no doubt!

[angus]

Ever notice how just a few word changes affect the mood of a story?  The NYT spin is a bit more Kerry-friendly:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/15/politics/campaign/15TRAI.html

At lunch I'll pick up the WSJ and see how they're telling it.  Wapo seems pretty neutral http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58666-2004Mar14.html

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I think the "liars and crooks" comment should be a total non-story.  It was supposed to be off-camera, and in that sense should be given about the same weight as Bush and Cheney's comments about Adam Clymer.

But the "anonymous foreign leaders" comments was DUMB DUMB DUMB for Kerry to ever bring up in the first place.  Why should Americans care what foreign leaders think, even if Kerry were to name them?  We didn't care what they thought about the war in Iraq!   And by not naming names, this is just a smear that makes Kerry look decidedly non-presidential.

[Brambila]

Lol. What a joke. Kerry is an airhead, I swear.

[angus]

I had a chance to look fairly closely at the important parts of the Wall Street Journal today, and couldn't find anything about Kerry's statement.  But most of the other news in there looks pretty bleak, I'm sorry to say.  They're spinning the Aznar defeat as a major rebuke of the US State Department.

[??????????]

I think the "liars and crooks" comment should be a total non-story.  It was supposed to be off-camera, and in that sense should be given about the same weight as Bush and Cheney's comments about Adam Clymer.

But the "anonymous foreign leaders" comments was DUMB DUMB DUMB for Kerry to ever bring up in the first place.  Why should Americans care what foreign leaders think, even if Kerry were to name them?  We didn't care what they thought about the war in Iraq!   And by not naming names, this is just a smear that makes Kerry look decidedly non-presidential.

Isnt it juvenile not to say what leaders they were. Its only fair, if he says nothing it looks like he's making it up. Just like school, "Someone said you kissed so and so but I'm not telling who" lol

[HoopsCubs]

So, first Kerry tells us that certain world leaders have told him they want Bush defeated, then tells us it is none of our business to know their names?

---

Secretary of State Colin Powell started the debate when he spoke on “Fox News Sunday” and was skeptical of Kerry’s claim.

“I don’t know what foreign leaders Senator Kerry is talking about. It’s an easy charge, an easy assertion to make. But if he feels it is that important an assertion to make, he ought to list some names,” said Powell. “If he can’t list names, then perhaps he should find something else to talk about.”

The theme was raised by Cedric Brown, a participant in a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania. He wondered whether Kerry was meeting with foreign leaders “to help you overthrow the Bush presidency.”

Pressed repeatedly by Brown, Kerry finally declared: “That’s none of your business.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4531796/

---

Just goes to show you that if Bush could comminucate, he would drum Kerry by 20 points.

Knowing how most English, French, German, Russian, Indian, Chinese and Japanese people feel about President Bush and his adminstration, I have no doubt that a world leader or two probably told John Kerry in confidence that they hope he wins.
This is just a philosophical difference between Democrats and Republicans.  As a Democrat I believe in our military superiority, but I also believe that America is at its best when it takes the input of other countries into its decision making.  We earn respect that way.   Republicans also believe in our military superiority, but  also believe America should be free to do whatever it wants.  There is no right or wrong here.  Just a core difference in approach.      

On this issue, I see no problem with Kerry wanting to maintain the confidentiality.

Considering how secretive the Bush administration has been, I find it funny that so many Republicans are up in arams overr the Senator's comments when this has been their MO all along.

Truth of the matter is that Republicans are scared of Kerry now.  They never believed he would have any chance against the President, but now it looks like a dogfight, so they will take every opportunity to knock him down.  But I've got news.  Regardless of how much Republicans want to portray Kerry as a Dukakis II, John Kerry will not roll-over like the Governor did in 1988.   He will continue to fight, and this will gain him a ton of respect from Independents.

Bush is still the favorite, no doubt, but if a state or two bounces Kerry's way, he will be inaugurated in January.  President JFK.  I like the ring of that.
   

[??????????]

Dont forget to include the President of North Korea and his support of Kerry! Kerry will get steamrolled. You have just begun to see what the Bush re-election campaign is capable of.

[HoopsCubs]

Dont forget to include the President of North Korea and his support of Kerry! Kerry will get steamrolled. You have just begun to see what the Bush re-election campaign is capable of.

One of these days you're going to take off your Florida blinders, and realize how disliked the President really is in the North.

Steamrolled?  I don't think so.  Bush will be favored.  But Kerry has a fighting chance.   If Ohio goes Kerry's way, he could eke out a win.    

[??????????]

You talk like the North has some majority over the rest of the country?

[agcatter]

Hey StatesRights, you guys need to get busy and get Florida nailed down.  It's starting to feel like 2000 again and we can't have that again.

[M]

This was a stupid thing for Kerry to say. I don't know if it's true or not, though I hope it isn't, but he played it very poorly. Kerry: "I was endorsed by important foreigners. What? You want to know who? Well... none of your business! Hey- hey- what party are you from. You heard me. Whta party? Who did you vote for in 200. Whozat!? Who!? Alright, that;s what I thought, thanks."

Whoo! We just need a couple more o' those, Johnny boy!

Hey, remember back in 2003 when all the libs were lecturing us about how the treaty of Westphalia forbade us influencing foreign politics? What happened with that?!?

[Nation]

I don't remember any treaty of westphalia -- but Kerry's comments seem very stupid right now, unless he's telling the truth, in which case, he's waiting till it becomes a real hot-button issue.

Kerry's campaign is not looking top-notch right now, he needs to be a lot more careful.

[??????????]

Hey StatesRights, you guys need to get busy and get Florida nailed down.  It's starting to feel like 2000 again and we can't have that again.

I'm working on the conversion as best as I can! The problem is the area I live is mostly Republican anyhow! Old time Roosevelt Democrats have been ditching the Democrats for the Republicans lately around here. I like that. It used to be "Those Republicans are all theives like Hoover". Now its "We need to support our president in this war and keep this Yankee out of office."

[agcatter]

The foreign leaders quote was stupid.  he actually believes that most Americans give one about what the goofy French think.  The guy has spent too much time in Massachusetts.  He's out of tough obviously.

[??????????]

I think the "JFK" comparison is dumb to. Wasnt the first JFK for tax cuts? I bet the Dems wont talk about that!

[angus]

yes, statesrights, Kennedy was quite the conservative.

HoopsCubs, yes it is not surprising that most foreigners support the Democrats.  We discussed this to death on another thread.  What was inappropriate, im my opinion, was how Kerry played it.  It stinks!  And it embarasses me.

[agcatter]

What part of Florida do you live in?  The panhandle?  I have relatives that live around Orlando.  They tell me scads of people have moved into that area from out of state - mostly the North.  I was hoping that after Jed's easy victory in 2002 that we might have an easier time in Florida and we wouldn't have to sweat it out.

[angus]

Agcat, where are you, if you don't mind my asking.  I was born in John Sealy Hospital on Galveston Island.